Use diet and nutrition to prevent and treat mental illnesses

Most people understand that if you have heart disease you should not be scarfing down greasy, cheesy, fried foods like grilled cheese sandwiches and fries. Yet, many people are not aware that mental disorders also may require special diets. In a new article, the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research encourages the recognition of diet and nutrition as central determinants for both physical and mental health.

A balanced diet, these scientists say, is as important to psychiatry as it is to cardiology.

Nutrition “has become a key factor for the high prevalence and incidence of very frequent mental diseases, such as depression,” Dr. Vicent Balanzá, a university lecturer and psychiatrist at La Fe University Hospital, stated in a press release. “It has been proven that the quality of diet and the deficiencies in certain essential nutrients are determining factors for physical and mental health.

What Your Brain Needs

To perform optimally, the human brain requires “an adequate intake of key nutrients, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3, essential amino acids, B-group vitamins … vitamin D, and minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron,” Balanzá said. He points to the Mediterranean diet as providing all of these nutrients and vitamins, while advising people take nutritional supplements if they experience a deficiency.

His past research has focused on neurocognitive functioning in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, yet more recently, Balanzá has examined nutritional interventions aimed at improving cognition. The stated intention of the International Society for Nutritional Research Psychiatry — Balanzá is a key member — is to support scientifically rigorous research into nutritional approaches for both prevention and treatment of mental disorders.

Among the studies highlighted on the society’s website, one offers preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of nutrients in treating ADHD symptoms in adults. A cited article examines a review of multiple studies and finds omega-3 fatty acids may have antidepressant effects in patients with major depressive disorder, though perhaps not “mood-improving” effects for people suffering from non-clinical symptoms of depression. Another study concludes that fermented foods, such as Kimchi and sauerkraut, have beneficial effects on mental health, particularly with regard to depression, via their positive effects on gut microbiota.

“Psychiatry is at an important juncture, with the current pharmacologically focused model having achieved modest benefits in addressing the burden of poor mental health worldwide,” wrote Balanzá and his coauthors in their current article.

The “emerging and compelling evidence for nutrition as a crucial factor in the high prevalence and incidence of mental disorders,” the authors noted, suggests diet be addressed whenever seeking to cure mental illnesses.

Source: Sarris J, Logan AC, Akbaraly TN, et al. Nutritional medicine as mainstream in psychiatry. The Lancet Psychiatry. 2015.

http://www.medicaldaily.com/can-mental-illness-be-cured-diet-nutritional-psychiatry-steps-limelight-337414#.VYVTj1MMiOI.facebook

[Review] Slow Learner Intervention & Training Program in Malaysia - Lai Case

Lai is having slow learner issue. For years she could not find any help. 

During the Senior Wellness Exhibition at Viva Mall November, 2014, she visited Spectrum of Life booth and did a Brain Assessment. 20 sessions of Brain Trainer was advised for her. 

Within 10 sessions she could see great results. 
She is now more alert; concentration and focus were a lot better than before, memory improved, sleeping quality improved drastically, and anxiety level reduced comparatively. 

These observations were made physically by herself and her parents. The post brainwave assessment showed great results too.







Remark: Our client's information will be kept strictly confidential all the time. All reviews and photos have been acknowledged and provided by past and current clients of Spectrum of Life proactive healthcare centre (Clinical Hypnotherapist Hiro Koo). Clients names have been changed to protect their identity. 

[Event] Public health talk: Alternative treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at LPPKN

We have been invited to give a talk about alternative treatment for Autism. 

Special thanks to Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara (LPPKN) for the invitation.

Today psychologists know that autism is a problem in the way the brain works, not in how people are raised. That discovery has led them to develop medical, educational and behavioral approaches to treatment. Autism is a brain disorder that often makes it hard to communicate with and relate to others. With autism, the different areas of the brain fail to work together. Most people with autism will always have some trouble relating to others. But early diagnosis and treatment have helped more and more people who have autism to reach their full potential.

Yes, EEG Biofeedback is very useful for ASD.

Reports from caregivers of people with autism suggest people have witnessed improvements in a variety of areas including speech and irritability after EEG biofeedback training. A few scientific reports have highlighted that a demonstrated increase in social interaction may be seen in child with autism following treatment. One study suggested that parents who noticed an improvement continued to see the benefits for at least a year after EEG biofeedback. We know from other studies that the brainwaves of children with autism may well be different in many ways to the brainwaves of their non-autistic peers (www.psychologytoday.com).

Other kind of therapies include:

Occupational Therapy, Sensory Integration Therapy, Speech Therapy, Complementary and Alternative Treatments such as special diets, Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA), acupuncture, homeopathic medicine etc.

You can contact us now for a free brain assessment session:

[email protected]